Laundry machine



Feb. 20, 1945. PAGE 2,369,905

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed April 23, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

ATTD R N EYE Feb. 20, PAGE LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed April 23, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 20, 1945 OFFICE LAUNDRY momma 7 Neal Page, Cleveland, Ohio Application April 23, 1943, Serial No. 484,253

4 Claims.

In the embodiment of the invention selected.

for illustration, I make use of a tank I comprising an annular wall [2 provided with a bottom l4 and extended downwardly from the bottom to provide a base l6. This base includes a floor [8 upon which is mounted a motor 26 for driving the washer and the dryer.

Inside the tank i6 is mounted a combined agitator and centrifugal dryer basket 22. This A clutch member 64 is splined to the shaft 34 for movement longitudinally thereon. This member is provided with dogs 66 engageable with dogs 68 fixed to the hub of the gear 38; Figure 1 shows the member 64 in its neutral position, but the member may be shifted upwardly to engage the dogs 66 with the dogs 68 to key the gear 38 to the .shaft 34 for oscillating the basket 22 with the shaft 34.

The lower end of the hood 48 is provided with a gear 18 which meshes with the pinion 40. The gear 16 is of relatively large diameter with respect to the pinion 40, so that the pinion is rotated at a relatively high speed. Second dogs 12 are provided on the member 64 for engagement with dogs 14 fixed to the hub of the pinion 40,

basket comprises an annular and perforated wall 24 and a perforated bottom 26 fixed to the wall 24. Agitator blades 28 are fixed to the wall 24 and the bottom 26. Both the wall 24 and the bottom 26 are spaced slightly from the wall l2 and the bottom l4, respectively. The blades 28 preferably comprise four in number. A valve controlled drain pipe 30 leads into the bottom of the tank It.

A bearing 32 is attached to the bottom I 4 for supporting a vertical shaft 34 having its upper end fixed to the basket 22. The lower end of the shaft 34 is supported in a bearing 36 attached to the floor l8. A large gear 38 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 34, and a pinion 46 is also rotatably mounted on the shaft. Both the gear 38 and the pinion 46 are restrained from movement longitudinal of the shaft 34 by pins 42 extending into grooves 44 in the shaft.

The motor shaft 46 is keyed to a hood 48 extending downwardly of the motor 20. A pinion 50 is fixed to the top end of the hood and meshes with a large gear 52 rotatably mounted on a post 54 secured to the floor l8. A link 56 is pivotally connected at one end with the gear 52 and at its other end with a segmental gear 58 pivotally connected with a pin 60 threaded into a post 62 fixed to and depending from the bottom M. The gear through the medium of the link 56, so that the gear 38 on the shaft 34 is also caused to -osci1- late.

as when the member 64' is shifted downwardly on the shaft 34 for keying the pinion 40 to the shaft 34. Thus a driving connection between the member 64 and the gear 38 imparts an oscillatory motion to the basket 22 for Washing purposes. A driving connection between the member 64 and the pinion 40 imparts a continuous high speed rotary motion to the basket 22 for drying purposes. When drying, all water is drained from the tank and the pipe 30 is left open to provide an escape for water flowing into the tank from the basket.

Means for operating the clutch member 64 comprise a shaft I6 rotatably supported in a bearing 18 on the base l6 and in a bracket fixed to the fioor I8. This shaft has a crank arm 82 provided with a pin 84 rotatably joumaled in a yoke 86 attached to the member 64, as at 88 in Figure 3. The shaft 16 is provided with a lever 96 bearing against a notched plate 92 which latches the lever and the shaft in neutral, washing and drying positions.

The motor 20 is wired to a control switch 94 mounted on the bracket 80. This switch is op-- erated by an arm 86 fixed to the shaft 16, the switch being opened when the lever and the shaft are turned to their neutral position, but the switch is closed whenever the lever is moved to the drying or washing position.

The basket 22 is permanently installed in the tank Hi. When washing, the tank Ill and the basket 22 are supplied with water up to a level near their tops, and articles to be laundered are placed in the basket 22. The motor 26 is started by moving the lever to its washing position, which causes the basket to be oscillated for imparting a washing motion to the blades 28. Upon completion of the washing operation, the drain pipe 30 is opened to drain water from the tank I 0 and the basket 22, and the lever 80 is moved to its drying position, which starts the centrifugal drying operation.

A packing nut is threaded on the bearing 32 to provide a seal for the bearing. Without further elaboration, the foregoing so fully explain my invention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim: 1. Means for imparting rotational 'and oscillating movement to a washing machine of the type having a casing partitioned to provide a compartment for the operating mechanism, comprising a vertical shaft having its lower end journalled at the bottom of the casing, a gear and-- a pinion rotatable on the shaft in spaced relationship and each having a clutch element. a sliding clutch keyed to the shaft and movable to engage the gear or pinion, a power plant including a drive shaft, a cylindrical hood like member on the drive shaft depending about the power plant, said hood having a pinion and a gear, a

regimental gear meshing with the gear on the shaft and having a link and gear connection with the pinion on the hood, and a. gear connectioan.f between the hood gear and the pinion on the sh t.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein a vertical shaft is provided adjacent the power plant carrying a gear meshing with the pinion on the hood, and a link is connected with the gear and with the segmental gear for oscillating the same.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the cylindrical hood has a top formed to provide the pinion, and wherein the lower peripheral edge of the hood is formed to provide the gear.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the power plant is provided with a vertical shaft carrying the hood which extends down about the motor, and wherein the shaft, motor drive shaft, and a shaft carrying a gear meshing with the pinion on the hood are parallel.

NEAL PAGE. 

